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NASCAR Street Race Will Impact Travel to Some Northwestern Medicine Locations in Chicago

Streets around Grant Park in Chicago will be closed for several weeks this summer. This could impact your travel to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and some Northwestern Medicine outpatient centers. Street closures will begin on June 10 and may last through July 14. Plan extra time for travel.

Picture of a woman with both hands on the side of her forehead
Picture of a woman with both hands on the side of her forehead

Quick Dose: Can Migraines Cause Vertigo?

What Is a Vestibular Migraine?

Approximately 40% of people with migraines experience a vertigo episode at some point in their lives. Vestibular migraines (VMs) are episodes of dizziness or vertigo in people with a history of migraines.

Episodes can range from lightheadedness or cloudiness, to abnormal sensations of motion, to spinning. There can be a pattern to it. These episodes can come and go throughout the course of having migraines.

Episodes can last for a few hours per day, or consist of low-level dizziness that goes on for days, weeks or months.

Hypersensitivity in the brain stem is believed to be the mechanism that causes VMs. VM triggers are essentially the same things that may trigger migraines:

  • Stress
  • Diet
  • Sleep disruptions
  • Lack of exercise
  • Genetic predisposition

Treatment options include:

“If you have migraines and are experiencing dizziness, VMs are something you should be aware of and talk to your physician about.”

– Northwestern Medicine Neurologist Katherine S. Carroll, MD, the director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive Headache Center at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.